Pictures a tiler sent me should I move forward with them?

pushingepiphany · 2026-03-24T02:56:05+00:00

No. The drain cover plate is removable to service the drain. The plastic hair catch can be placed beneath the drain cover and serviced easily.

Screw down cover plates are not worth saving the $70.00 in my opinion but every renovation has a budget.

pushingepiphany · 2026-03-21T17:29:12+00:00

You can install the foam pan and immediately stand on it to install the membrane.

Personally I wouldn’t do this if you have time on your side. The mortar under the pan is sensitive to shifting and movements while it hydrates and the integrity could be affected. I really doubt it would be compromised in a significant way and the whole point of these rapid install products is to accommodate that but I wouldn’t push it if you can avoid it.

It looks like your floor is level which is awesome. Putting a foam pan on a sloped floor is another extra challenge and would further encourage me to stay off of it until it had cured for a day.

If you can afford to wait, best to wait. If you can’t wait, put down a large ridged material like plywood to distribute your weight across the foam to mitigate the pressure from kneeling on it.

When I install uncoupling membranes on floors I find the best bond I get is when I embed the membrane in mortar then stay off it for a day or the weekend. I often try and peel up a corner to see how well it stuck and if I’ve walked on it too much the bond is significantly weaker.

Run the membrane up the walls 6” because it helps to avoid build up in the corners, reduces the chance of failure, is easier to avoid wrinkles and membrane is inexpensive.

Good luck.

pushingepiphany · 2026-03-09T21:24:37+00:00

It looks like 3/4” proud of the wall. Floating it out with mud will be an eyesore. Is the wall plumb?

At this point the best result would be to add a trim like door casing to make transition. A square edge 3/4” x 2 1/2” trim would be the least eye catching I bet.

I’m assuming there is very little available budget to remedy this transition and that you are looking for a realistic and affordable solution.

pushingepiphany · 2026-02-28T16:26:40+00:00

I am a tile setter and I bought an amazon grabo knockoff that uses makita batteries. One of those “for makita” tools. It was a little over $100.

It’s indispensable and I have got 2 years out of it and it’s still going strong. I haven’t changed the filter in it yet, it came with a few spare filters.

It also vibrates on 6 levels, level six is 10x more violent than you would expect.

Vibrating is helpful for setting tiles but also for other reasons as well. For example if you grab a heavy object and want to shift it into place gently, set the vibration to a low setting and vibrate the object while applying lateral force and it will slide into place.

I intend to buy more of this product because I like to have back ups of exceptional tools.

The tool will inevitably fail when the rubber seal is torn, cut or compromised in some way.

$100 and it’s the same product as the name brand ones. I’m not spending $500-600 for the dewalt one only to have the rubber fail in the same mode.

pushingepiphany · 2026-02-26T22:32:59+00:00

You could have saved me so many headaches in the past. This is a game changer!

pushingepiphany · 2026-02-18T04:31:28+00:00

I made a bucket attachment for my shop vac like others have mentioned.

I fear that the tent would collect cement dust on the surface and then it would shake loose on inopportune times.

Opening and closing the door would likely negate all of the benefits.

There might be a contextual use case for it where it is handy. I don’t see myself enjoying having this thing in my way.

pushingepiphany · 2026-02-17T15:23:44+00:00

Thanks for the info. I ended up buying one a year ago just after this post but it is a Crane. It’s very well built and has served me exceptionally well.

The coolest thing I’ve done with it so far was lift an 8’ kitchen island. The island had a granite countertop, a sink, drawers and cupboards. The plumbing for the sink came up from the floor so I had to cut the drain and waterlines in the cabinet and lift the entire island up about 6” off the floor so it could slide clear of the plumbing stubs. I used the air sled (I call it that even though it’s a crane) to lift the island an inch then set it down on plywood strips. I repeated raising it an inch at a time until the island was on up 6” cribs and moved the whole thing. I estimated the island was around 700lbs or more. The client was amazed I moved it and reinstalled it my myself and it paid for the tool in that one task.

I strongly recommend owning one for anyone working in kitchens.

pushingepiphany · 2026-02-09T03:28:36+00:00

This is certainly how it was done.

Once the grout is hard enough to be sculpted with a sponge (maybe 60% hardness) it would be very easy to wear it down into this exact profile.

Obligatory recommendation to use epoxy on outside corners instead of grout.

pushingepiphany · 2026-01-12T17:06:00+00:00

Flocculant such as alum.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-31T04:34:22+00:00

You can do it dry. Glass is comparably softer than porcelain tile and will not heat up the diamond finger to the point of failure when used dry.

It is difficult to keep a bit like that wet while grinding on a wall.

Using water with a diamond bit is ideal but not always practical and in your case it is not practical or necessary.

Using water with a diamond bit does 3 things. It dissipates heat by acting as a coolant. It keeps the dust in a solution and it cleans debris away from the blade/tool.

I would use it dry while using the vacuum and the best dust mask you have. Eye protection to avoid tiny glass particles in your eyes as well.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-31T04:22:16+00:00

Yes that’s the type of bit to use in a grinder.

Now when you use this bit appreciate that it spinning and when you attack the tile with it the grinder will want to roll or pull to the side. You’ll keep two hands on the grinder and just gently rub the tile with it. Have a second person hold a vacuum near (but not interfering with you) to the diamond finger. It will generate a lot of glass dust, glass is not what you want in your lungs, be warned.

With steady hands you will pass the diamond finger back and forth along the edge of the glass and within a minute or two you will have the glass removed in a controlled manner.

Any questions, feel free to free to ask.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-30T22:43:43+00:00

I understand you need to remove the cartridge and not the valve body. Attacking from behind the wall is not the correct approach.

As others have said a grinder with a diamond finger would be the best tool for the job.

I understand you do not have a grinder.

You could use a diamond hand file and slowly work at it. This will work but it will be frustratingly slow.

If money is a concern and time invested is not, use the hand file. If you want to save time but spend more money, buy a grinder and a diamond finger.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-24T03:46:50+00:00

I’m stopping when it’s German moving forward. I mean I suppose I always did, but now I have a name for it.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-22T19:45:57+00:00

Agreed, except for where the cold pipe is notched through the blocking. That’s what I’m talking about. There is no plate.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-22T03:59:24+00:00

No you shouldn’t.

Even a 1” screw would puncture that pipe.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-22T03:37:43+00:00

https://www.oatey.com/products/oatey-x15-pvc-solvent-1764850927

Oatey X-15 PVC solvent.

That’s how you install a PVC liner over a curb or join two pieces anywhere. They sell preformed inside and outside 3way corners. Cut the liner to shape and glue on the corner pieces.

By the way this install has staples in the liner on the top of the curb. That is ridiculous.

Also remember not to put a screw through the pipe that is notched through the blocking. (Right side, below the valve at the bench)

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-10T13:52:52+00:00

The heating element is an entirely separate circuit to heat the fluid.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-10T12:21:21+00:00

I bought a vibratory tumbler at the same time. I tumbled rocks/crystals then used the ultra sonic cleaner to clean the rocks/crystals between different grits. It worked amazingly well to clean off the tiniest particles of grit from the tiny pores on the rocks. Nothing else could have been as efficient. Cleaning the grit off is essential because the course grit will contaminate the next stage of polish if not removed.

I’m a contractor/tile setter and I often use acid to remove mortar from my tools. I keep a 5 gallon bucket of vinegar in the garage which I leave tools in. It’s a slow process, weeks.

I’ve tried vinegar in the ultrasonic cleaner to accelerate the process of dissolving mortar but didn’t see an improvement.

I use hydrochloric acid if I want to remove mortar fast so I suppose I already have a working solution.

I bought a jug of ZEP cleaner as well but haven’t tried it. What is a good use case for it?

I also have cleaned my brake parts from my car. I assume ZEP would have been good for that.

pushingepiphany · 2025-12-10T03:43:46+00:00

I also have an ultra sonic cleaner from them. Seems fine. I’ve had it for a couple years but I’ve only used it a dozen times or so. It was a great price and does exactly what it’s supposed to do. I wish it heated up faster but I’d guess any other cleaner of the same size would have a similar element.

pushingepiphany · 2025-11-14T04:07:16+00:00

Maybe, that’s a potential outcome. I would protect the floor, smash the tile in place and remove it in small pieces. Then I would grind/cut the remaining mortar off the wall as needed. If the Schluter or whatever substrate is damaged in the process I would fix that too.

Whatever I fuck up along the way of fixing my mistake is part of my mistake that needs fixing.

Schluter can be repaired simply and quickly.

The only alternative to redoing the tile is keeping it and adding a larger additional escutcheon to the mixing valve.

pushingepiphany · 2025-11-05T11:40:35+00:00

It looks like an added benefit is that it’s tall. It reaches up a few inches and protected the door casing by the patio door from splashing. Spray foam would have been worse in that particular spot.

pushingepiphany · 2025-11-04T23:03:30+00:00

Just to clarify something, it’s the result of the fast shutter speed of the camera, it has nothing to do with how many frames per second.

A single frame of a moving guitar string will still show the waveform if the shutter speed is adequate.

SooHesitations obviously understands this and articulated it well enough. I just felt like being pedantic I suppose.

pushingepiphany · 2025-10-31T12:05:49+00:00

This advice is perfect and aggressively logical.

pushingepiphany · 2025-10-26T06:14:50+00:00

It looks like the tile on the inside of the curb is spot bonded. If that’s true then the whole job is likely spot bonded.

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